The present invention relates to a recording medium processing apparatus which transports a sheet-shaped recording medium, such as a check along a transport path passing through a plurality of heads and a pair of transport rollers.
There is a check processing apparatus which reads information inscribed in magnetic ink characters (MICR) from a sheet-shaped recording medium, such as a check, and performs printing on the recording medium by a recording head. The check processing apparatus includes a magnetic reading head which reads the magnetic ink characters. In the check processing apparatus, a transport path is provided which passes through a recording bead for performing printing. Thus, a check or the like is transported along the transport path. For example, in a small check reading apparatus, a magnetic reading head is arranged in a transport path portion which linearly extends from a check insertion port provided at the front surface of the apparatus toward the depth side of the apparatus. A recording head is arranged in a transport path portion which passes through a deep curved transport path portion upward or forward of the apparatus.
Patent Document 1 describes this type of recording medium processing apparatus (multi-function processing apparatus). In the multi-function processing apparatus of Patent Document 1, a check processing section which includes a magnetic reading head and a recording head is provided at the front portion of the apparatus, and a roll sheet unit which performs printing on a roll sheet is provided at the rear of the check processing section. In the multi-function processing apparatus, the rear end of the roll sheet unit is rotatably supported by a rotary support shaft provided at the rear side of the apparatus, such that the roll sheet unit revolves upward of the apparatus, opening and closing a unit cover in the top surface of the apparatus. Thus, the recording head arranged in a portion extending longitudinally in the second half of the transport path in the check processing section is exposed, making it easy to perform the replacement of consumables in the recording head or the maintenance of a cutter device provided in front of the check discharge port.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2000-43339
With the configuration of Patent Document 1, the roll sheet unit is opened/closed, such that it is possible to expose the transport path portion which extends longitudinally toward the check discharge port in the top surface of the apparatus. However, it is impossible to expose the curved transport path portion from the transport path portion which transversely extends from the check insertion port at the front surface rearward of the apparatus to the transport path portion which extends longitudinally. Arranged in the curved portion are a pair of transport rollers, such as a pair of transport rollers which are provided in the vicinity of the magnetic reading head (provided in the transverse transport path portion), a pair of transport rollers which are provided in the vicinity of the recording head (provided in the longitudinal transport path portion). That is, the portion is at the deepest position of the transport path and shielded from the check insertion port and the check discharge port by the two pairs of transport rollers, making it difficult to access the portion from either the check insertion port or the check discharge port. For this reason, if a paper jam occurs in the portion, a hand does not reach the position where the paper jam occurs. Thus, in order to remove the jammed check, the apparatus has to be disassembled. Disassembly causes a problem in that it takes time and effort to recover the original state. In addition, there is a problem in that, at the time of disassembling the apparatus, components may be broken or lost, and the apparatus may not be reconstituted to its original state.